Tag Archives: identifying treasure finds

What a great coin Logan found with some luck and his uncles metal detector.

Recently, a Green Bay, Wisconsin teen found the treasure of a lifetime at a local beach. It was 13-year-old Logan Williams’ first ever treasure-hunting trip! He stumbled upon a Large Cent, wreath variety, minted in 1793. This was the first coin mass-produced by the U.S. Mint and its composition is pure copper.

According to Logan, “I borrowed my Uncle Mark’s metal detector and my friends and I took it down to ‘Fat Ladies Beach’ (Tourist Park). After searching for about 30 minutes, I got a good, strong signal. I dug down a few inches and found a coin. It looked pretty interesting. At first, I thought it was a token or something. I’d never seen a coin like it before, but I knew that it was old.”

The seventh grader, on spring break, never thought he would come across a rare 16th century copper coin. Curious about the coin, Logan and his mom took it to “Card and Coin-Packer City Antiques.” Owner Mike Worachek was amazed. He said in good condition, this coin lists at around $3,000. He recommended that the teen “send it in to get graded, especially for a coin of that value. The company will secure it in an air-tight, sealed holder.”

At first Logan thought about selling the coin to purchase video games, but instead decided to take Worachek’s advice. Logan said he’ll continue to hunt for treasure, but plans to buy his own metal detector. It just goes to show that there IS such thing as “beginner’s luck!” Get out and hunt, so you can tell your own exciting treasure-hunting story!

Excited to go out treasure hunting with your new metal detector? Hunting for coins is a GREAT way to get familiar with your new detector—and enjoy success! Coins are the perfect target for first-time detectorists of all ages. There are millions of coins waiting to be discovered all around us. According to the late, famous detectorist and author, Charles Garrett, “ An experienced coin hunter can find 5,000 coins per year. Anyone can search for coins and quickly discover the best places to find them.” Among these places are parks, fields, beaches, around buildings, in construction areas, rural areas and even in your own backyard. Old, valuable coins are as abundant as newer clad coins, so they are definitely worth searching for! And surprisingly, gold coins continue to be discovered.

Target Identification—Coins

Most new metal detectors (if not ALL), have an LCD display which indicates which type of coin is being signaled. For example, theWhites Coinmaster entry-level model shows you whether you’ve found a nickel, dime, quarter, silver dollar or a junk target (such as foil or a nail). Other models indicate silver, gold or iron, with specific Target ID numbers that tell you which type of coin is underfoot. For example, theFisher F22 has a Target ID screen that ranges from Fe (iron) to 10. Nickels show up on the screen as a “3,” a penny registers as zinc “5,” dimes are “6,” quarters are “7,” and half dollars are “8.” Being able to read your targets ahead of time, then test the Target ID accuracy is a great way to get familiar with your metal detector. Your detector manual will also detail your display screen and Target Identification conductivity bar.

Learn more about this metal detecting find and your own found treasures in this helpful article.

It’s exciting when you actually dig up a metal treasure, but frequently you don’t even know what it is – especially if you’ve found a relic! It probably looks ancient and valuable, but what is it? Experts advise not to tamper with your target too much before you know what it is. For instance, don’t scrub dirt off abrasively or use soap and water right off the bat. There are hundreds of metal detecting experts and communities who can help you identify items.

The Art of Identifying Treasures

When you find your first artifacts, you obviously want to know what they are! Before you know how to clean your find, you need to identify it. Ask a fellow detectorist for help. There are other resources, as well. Many museums have identification facilities. Check to see if any museums in your area offer this service. Another great reason to visit a museum is you will see tons of artifacts and be able to relate items when you make your own discoveries. Antique stores and coin dealers are also very useful to detectorists. They can help you identify finds; dealers often publish coin lists which you will likely reference often. Metal detecting books and magazines are beneficial to most detecting hobbyists. For example, experts recommend the book, “Whitman’s Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins” for identifying coins.MetalDetector.com offers a huge selection of metal detecting books, magazines and videos. You can find a book specifically geared towards Civil War relics, if that is your niche. Treasure Hunting magazines typically publish a monthly “Question & Answer” section in which readers’ finds are identified by experts. By the way, if you do buy metal detecting magazine, save them for your archive. It’s a great way to build up your own reference library.

Ask Mark Parker- Magazine Q & A Example

The metal detecting magazine Western & Eastern Treasures features a monthly column called “Ask Mark Parker.” Relic and coin expert Mark Parker selects photos from hobbyists interested in identifying their finds. He researches each find and provides detailed insight as to what it is, as well as its estimated value. One reader dug up an old brass lock in Colorado engraved “St. Louis” on both sides. He was interested in any information about his find.

Mark Parker’s response, “Your warded padlock dates from the early 1900s, and although there are no maker’s marks, the style is very similar to that of locks made by the E. T. Fraim Co. of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. As for the “St. Louis” name, it’s been suggested that this is one of a number of locks issued to cash in on the enormous interest and enthusiasm surrounding the St. Louis World’s Fair, or Louisiana Purchase Exposition, held in 1904. It’s a fairly common but collectable little item, usually retailing around $20.”

Identifying your treasure is among the most exciting aspects of metal detecting. For more information,check out MetalDetector.com’sLearning Library. Read about these related topics: